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Article: Remembering Richard Somers: naval martyrdom in the Tripolitan War.
- Article from:
- The Historian
- Article date:
- June 22, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Phi Alpha Theta, History Honor Society, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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ON 2 APRIL 1949, the USS Spokane, a modern naval cruiser, anchored off the historic Mediterranean port of Tripoli. A detachment of officers and men led by Rear Admiral R. H. Cruzen and Captain W. J. Marshall disembarked and were met by the American consul Orray Taft, Jr., and other assorted military, diplomatic, and government officials. A British army unit greeted them too, while a band of Scottish Camerons played martial music for their half-mile journey outside of town. Why the ceremony? The visitors wished to pay their respects to five American sailors slain in the Tripolitan War during the early nineteenth century. More tellingly, the Spokane's men placed plaques atop ...